Get your SaaS customers off to a healthy start

I recently switched to a new health club. It's better maintained, friendlier, and less crowded than my old club. I also like that there's no up-front membership fee, just a monthly subscription.

But making a change from my well-worn routine, set in place over 12 years, could have been a difficult jump. New location, new equipment, new people.

But all worked out well. Here's why.

On my first visit to the new club, the manager introduced himself, gave me a card with his contact information on it, and introduced me to an assistant manager who was at the front desk.

Then the manager showed me through the facility. He explained how to sign up for spin classes, where to find the jump ropes, and how to adjust the steam room controls.

Finally, he introduced me to a trainer to set me up with a workout regimen. We didn't go through every elliptical trainer, Bosu ball, and Cybex machine in the club, but the trainer put in place a basic program for me.

Renewals are vital for both health clubs and SaaS companies

Health clubs, like software-as-a-service (SaaS) businesses, depend on renewals. And the customer's first experience with the service - the on-boarding process - is critical. Get off to a good start and it's much easier to retain customers.

How did my new health club get this right and how can SaaS companies do the same?

Create a connection to a person with responsibility

On my first visit as a paying customer, I was introduced to the club manager, his assistant, and I knew how to reach them. I now had a direct connection to someone I could talk to with suggestions, complaints, or compliments.

It also works for SaaS companies. Let the customer know who they should talk to with any issues related to the service. It might be one person or it might be two or three (for example. one for support, one for billing, etc.) but try to make a direct connection. A simple letter - "Thank you for becoming a customer. If you need anything, ask me." - can suffice.

Help the customers help themselves

The manager showed me around the club and offered specific instructions on how to take care of basic tasks myself. Of course, I'd had a tour before I signed up, but he walked me through again, this time providing more detail on where things are and how things work.

SaaS companies should do the same. Help new customers to find their way around the service. Walk them through the basics, so the next time they'll have the knowledge to manage it themselves. Better yet, they'll have the confidence to explore further and find new features on their own. A written guide on how to take the first steps, with lots of screen shots, can be helpful.

Deliver immediate valueOn my first visit to the health club as a paying customer, a personal trainer got me started on a basic routine. She showed me how to use a few basic machines, adjusted the seats properly, and set a "don't hurt yourself" weight. She even wrote it down for me on "Personalized Workout" tracking sheet. This wasn't a $60 per hour personal training session... it was just part of the welcome process. Following that session, though, I had an established commitment to a new routine.

Likewise, SaaS companies should concentrate on getting their new customers to start to actually use the service. Make sure they know how to login. Help them enter data and walk them through a few basic tasks. Get them using the product and make it part of their routine.